One last time.

Whenever I see this photo, I remember the mixture of happiness and sadness I felt the night it was taken. It was my 18th birthday celebration, and the last time all five of us were in the same room. I was undeniably filled with joy because my brothers, who were in the Navy at the time, flew home and my divorced parents agreed to be in the same room just for my birthday. Sadness crept up after the realization that this photo is no longer a true representation of our family, yet a fitting reminder that we are still connected despite the parental separation.